Muted Arms, Touched Nature (Armas Mudas, Naturaleza Tocada)

Andres Lombana-Bermudez / USA

Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society

andreslombana.net

Muted Arms, Touched Nature is a video art piece that builds on the media memories of the Colombian armed conflict that are produced in the battlefield and are archived on the YouTube platform. Remixing short segments from non- professional digital videos recorded by soldiers at the frontlines, this piece offers a reflection on how the natural landscape has been witnessed from the fighters’ point of view. By exalting the visual imagery of Colombian biodiversity that has been captured in these audiovisual records of war, I intend to reflect on the persistence of nature. Despite being disrupted, outraged, and touched by the armed conflict, the natural landscape of Colombia persists. A lyrical soundtrack (a public domain record of Bach’s Air Suite in No.3 in D major) accompanies the slow motion of the visuals and provides a sentimental tone to the piece.